Glossary: R

rate of exploitation	INDEX
The fraction, by number, of the fish in a population at a given time, which is caught and killed by man during the year immediately following. The term may also be applied to separate parts of the stock distinguished by size, sex, etc.

rate of removal	INDEX
An inexactly-defined term that can mean either rate of exploitation or rate of fishing, depending on the context .

recruitment	INDEX
The amount of fish added to the exploitable stock each year due to growth and/or migration into the fishing area. For example, the number of fish that grow to become vulnerable to the fishing gear in one year would be the recruitment to the fishable population that year. This term is also used in referring to the number of fish from a year class reaching a certain age. For example, all fish reaching their third year would be age three recruits.

reference points

INDEX

A reference point is an estimated value derived from an agreed scientific procedure and/or an agreed model which corresponds to a state of the resource and/or of the fishery and can be used as a guide for fisheries management.
See also:

	Biological Reference Points
	Precautionary Reference Points

reflagging	INDEX
The practice of vessels deregistering with one State and re-registering with another in order to escape controls adopted by the original State. This practice can seriously undermine international conservation and management efforts. States which allow vessels to reflag under their registry are commonly known as "flag-of-convenience" States. Although the LOS Convention requires there to be a "genuine link" between the State and the ship (Article 91), attempts to define "genuine link" have been unsuccessful.

relative abundance	INDEX
An estimate of actual or absolute abundance, usually stated as some kind of index.